The Islamic Centre of Samarinda is the city's most striking building and one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia. The complex rises from the bank of the Mahakam River in a cluster of white domes and minarets that are visible from far downstream, making it the most memorable element of Samarinda's skyline.
Completed in phases from the late 1990s through the 2000s, the centre is built on stilts above the river on its western side, giving it an unusual appearance — part of the mosque appears to float on the Mahakam. The interior is cool, calm, and open to respectful non-Muslim visitors outside prayer times. The main prayer hall's scale is genuinely astonishing. The surrounding grounds are a popular evening destination for families, and the river view from the complex's edge is the best in the city.